Gratitude

I have recently been reading about the benefits of keeping a "Gratitude Journal". I am not sure I want to commit myself to one more daily task, but I think I will try and take some time out weekly, at least, to remember all of the things I have in my life to be grateful for. Today, I feel grateful to have a loving and close extended family. My siblings and I are separated by many miles, but we make a true effort to get together at least four times a year. My husband comes from a large family and they manage to stay close also. The majority of his family live within 30 miles of us, and they usually have get togethers at least twice a year. I have learned to appreciate the uniqueness of this. Many, many families I come across rarely, if ever get together. It certainly takes effort to plan, organize and execute these reunions. I for one, am very grateful that the effort is made. We have so much we can learn and share with each other. A recent death of a cousin, who had lost touch with his family, highlights the importance of staying close. I honestly believe that his death might have been prevented if family had been able to intervene. I guess we will never know for sure, but I have to believe that family connections go a long way in improving ones quality of life. A great first entry for my gratitude journal!